Portland Local News

TriMet driver assaulted

UPDATE

Friday night an officer from the Transit Police Division was patrolling the area of North Fessenden Street and Charleston Avenue when the officer spotted a subject that looked like the suspect sought in the assault of the TriMet bus operator that occurred last night at North Richmond Avenue and Syracuse Street.

The TriMet bus data recorder captured the image of the suspect and Transit Police Division officers we actively searching the neighborhood for the suspect.

The suspect was stopped when he walked to a nearby store and was arrested without incident.

The suspect, 39-year-old Daemon Lamarr Bowman, will be charged with Assault in the Third Degree, Theft of Services and Interfering with Public Transportation.

PREVIOUS STORY:

A TriMet bus operator is recovering after being physically attacked in North Portland’s St. Johns area while on a break. The assault happened about 10:50 p.m. last night on a Line 4 bus while it was parked at North Richmond and Syracuse Street. The operator was repeatedly punched after informing a rider who had boarded about a half mile earlier that he did not pay the correct fare. The man began yelling at the operator and then began hitting the operator. The operator fought off the suspect who then took off on foot. Police searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect.

The suspect boarded the bus at North Kellogg and St. Louis Avenue. After the assault, he left in the direction of the Safeway store at Richmond and Syracuse Street. TriMet is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the man.